For months all signs have indicated Cain Velasquez would serve as the UFC’s top heavyweight contender and take on champion Junior dos Santos later this year. However, it appears a new plan is in place at the urging of “Cigano” who now wants to face Alistair Overeem instead based on a series of public challenges from the decorated Dutchman.

According to UFC President Dana White, he met with Dos Santos over the weekend to discuss his future plans when the title-holder dropped the news on him.

“He said, ‘I have nothing but respect for Cain Velasquez. I like him as a person and as a fighter and I think he deserves a shot at the title but I do not want to fight him.’ Which is not what he said a month ago,” explained White to media after UFC on FOX 4 (caught on video by MMAFighting). “He said, ‘Alistair Overeem is a punk. He’s got a big mouth and he’s been saying lots of bad things about me and I want to knock him out. I want to knock him out now.’”

Overeem is currently unable to apply for a license in Nevada after a random drug test earlier this year revealed an enormously elevated T:E level later found to be the result of testosterone use. “The Demolition Man” was forced to pull out of a title-fight with Dos Santos as a result and currently cannot be licensed until December 27.

The 32-year old Overeem has been attempting to whittle the sentence down ever since by submitting monthly samples for testing.

Interestingly enough, Lorenzo Fertitta also came forward over the weekend in a conversation with ESPN.com to reveal the UFC has Dos Santos tentatively scheduled for a scrap on December 29, adding on the possibility of Overeem as his adversary, “The best case scenario is he’s licensed in enough time to put him on the December card. We can’t commit to that because we don’t know what the commission will do.”

I still think Werdum is the most deserving of a title shot in the HW division, but I see the need to capitalize on the Reem while his record still appears impressive. I’ma say it hear first. Four fights into Overeems UFC career he’s gonna have a losing record.
I also agree that Valesquez should be no where near deserving after only one win. But, as exciting as the HW division has become over the past 3 years, it’s still pretty freaking shallow, so anyone in the top 10 is only one win away from a title shot.

And I still think Cain is deserving of the title shot because I remain convinced the first JDS fight would have been postponed if it wasn’t anchoring the big, sexy inaugural event on FOX. Cain was injured and 10 pounds over weight for that fight.

But with no backup plan at all, and after significant hype and build up for the network debut, the show had to go on. Both guys fought with injury; JDS caught Cain with the behind-the-ear shot that left him GSP’d and that was a wrap.

As far as Reem’s licensing, I think it could be worked out to get Reem on the year-end card.

Who the hell knows how things work with NSAC’s decision making processes (or lack thereof) but seems reasonable to me there could be a follow up meeting with Reem to review his case & latest test results, in order to arrive at a pending resolution that would grant him his license on 12/27 as long as there are no missteps between that time.

On the one hand, I’d like to see JDS & Cain fight again with both guys at full strength, like I mentioned above.

On the other hand, I want to see how Reem does against both JDS & Cain so if Overeem fights JDS first it provides a path where he could potentially face both JDS & Cain for his next two fights (Cain being his first title defense).

So we’ll see what happens… I just don’t want the uncertainty of the overall situation to drag out much longer, which the UFC obviously can’t afford either as they’ll have to go ahead and officially book a matchup to be able to start marketing it, selling tickets, etc.

@Brendhan – JDS could very well beat Cain next time they fight. Might KO him in even more devastating fashion. All I’m really saying is I’d like to see it with both guys at (closer to) full strength.

Cain’s knee injury was significant enough to require a cortisone shot, and he was 10 pounds heavier than usual for that fight. I might be alone in considering those mitigating circumstances, but I’d like to see the rematch.

From a business perspective, I can understand why Dana and Lorenzo have started to plant the seed for JDS vs The Reem. Cain can’t sell a fight to save his life. No matter how talented Cain is as a fighter, it has to be super-frustrating for the UFC brass. Just heard Cain discussing the possibility that he may lose his title shot and he was pretty ho hum about it. What does it take to fire this guy up?? Even if it’s just for show and attention, act pissed …. say something disrespectful ….. MAKE HEADLINES. Can’t separate the “entertainment” from the “sport” …. that’s the reality.